José
Pearce de Azevedo, OBE, former British Honorary Consul in the
Algarve, who died on Monday aged 83, has been laid to rest in the
cemetery in his hometown of Portimão.
Four
days after his admission to the Barlavento Hospital and having been
diagnosed with a lung infection, Azevedo died peacefully with his
wife Zefita by his bedside.
A
great many people from all walks of life attended the funeral service
in the Igreja do Colégio, Portimão, on Wednesday. The
principal mourners were his wife, their three children, Patricia,
Pedro and Marta, and four grandchildren.
A
charismatic and colourful personality, Azevedo contributed greatly to
the Algarve region, and in particular to the British community here.
The British Ambassador, Jill Gallard, paid warm tribute.
His
family’s close association with the British began with his
grandfather, Manuel Teixeira Gomes, who spent 11 years as Portugal’s
ambassador to London before becoming the seventh President of the
Republic of Portugal in 1923.
Manuel
Teixeira Gomes’ father had been a consul in the Algarve,
representing Belgium. Both Azevedo’s father and paternal
grandfather served as British vice consuls here.
Having
graduated from the University of Lisbon in economics and finance, he
was appointed British vice consul in 1965 at the age of 35. In 1974
he became full honorary consul and was of outstanding help to British
expatriates during the turbulent period following the 25th April
revolution. For this he was awarded an OBE.
Azevedo’s
dynamic wife, Zefita, joined him professionally as pro-consul in
1983. He lovingly referred to her as “my field marshal.” They
served together with a small but dedicated team in the Portimão
Consulate until their retirement in 2000.
In
addition to his consular role, he served as the first president of
the Algarve Tourist Board and as head of the Portimão port
authority.
For
many years he played a leading role in the British-Portuguese Chamber
of Commerce based in Lisbon and the Anglo-Portuguese Society in
London. As a long-time member of the Royal British Club in Lisbon, he
was also an honorary president of the 41 Club in the Algarve and a
founder member of the Association of Foreign Property Owners in
Portugal.
The
British Ambassador, Jill Gallard, said: ‘I am deeply saddened by
José Azevedo’s death. He was a dear and loyal friend of the
UK and he will be warmly remembered by me and by many of his former
colleagues at the British Consulates in Portimão and Lisbon,
and at the Embassy.
“Joe,
as he was fondly known, was our Honorary Consul in Portimão
for over 30 years and we are extremely grateful for his long and
devoted years of service to the British Foreign Office.
“He
helped British citizens in distress, supported the wider British
community in the Algarve and made a key contribution towards
increasing British tourism to the region. Joe fulfilled his role with
pride and commitment, but he also had a great sense of humour and was
a devoted family man.
“His
OBE was a well-deserved award and he will be forever remembered by
the many thousands of British citizens who came into contact with him
during his vast career as Honorary British Consul in Portimão.
“Our
thoughts are with his wife and family at this difficult time.”
With a photograph of his grandfather in Portimão Museum
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